The Journey Never Ends

A brief tour through the last 2 months of my life since I returned home...I decided on my trip that I live in the best place in the country for me. It has been a long, lingering, sunny, wonderful Fall.

My back yard, where the NW ground covers are finally choking out most of the dandelions and thistle...in spite of the fact that my yard is surrounded by fields. You can see a ceramic face (on the fence) and a turtle with black birds (ravens or crows, there is a difference) on its back. Ceramics by Bill Kobe, stonework by me.

  

Doug and Thayer at Ediz Hook, balancing rocks on a log. So good to spend a day with them and Hugh and Connie before Thayer went back to Israel to save the world. He and I email about politics.

My solution to not wanting to have to remember to water plants: painted drift wood, white rocks, and a clay face with moss from a woman in NY...I talked with her about her cancer, and she gave me this piece...connections.

After Doug and Thayer went back to Seattle, Hugh and Connie went out to Rialto Beach, 20 degrees cooler, and misty on a sunny day...seems so wild compared to the coast of Maine, but also in dampness.

This piece came to me, practically assembled itself, wheels and all from things I had in the studio and with a made-up alphabet for Art and The Word show at Northwind Gallery in Port Townsend...the gel medium on the base was still wet when I took the piece in...art that creates itself. The hat is the tip of a firework that found its way into my yard.

Me on Rialto Beach, pouring the Atlantic water into the real Pacific Ocean, sea stacks in the background...I know both oceans are connected, by this was a capper to my cross-country journey

A small wall hanging, using a piece of driftwood looking like a woman, an altered Polaroid of me printed on silk, and fabric collected over time and travels, even though I didn't collect any fabric on my recent journey...I guess a part of me knew that I already have plenty...but that doesn't mean I won't get more. Some fabric computer printed from our trip to Stash Dash.

Sticky buns for my family...they were appreciated. The popover tin made good buns. We also made an Amazing cherry tomato cobbler.

Donkey Tail Euphorbia patterns...

more euphorbia...things like this don't grow in New England...they propagate themselves all over my yard...I've moved some babies to the front, and they also keep the weeds down

More Doug and Thayer and balancing at Ediz, my home beach...I've always needed to be this close to salt water, and for the last 9 years I am. It must be tough for Doug to let his son go to scary places, but I think he is a good Dad, and he and my youngest brother, David, are the closest I'll ever come to children of my own...both very, very good men.

A small wall piece based on my parents' wedding...made me think about how much married people influence the course of each other's lives...I built my foundation of making art, appreciating music, and gardening when I was married...taught my ex-husband to read.

New beach in Port Angeles

It has been almost two months since I returned from Heroine's Journey 2 and started Heroine's Journey 3, which will last for the rest of my life...I've been so busy making Art, getting ready for shows, seeing friends and family in the Northwest...AND enjoying the wonderful Northwest fall weather, that I've just gotten out of the habit of blogging, and am going to throw a bunch of pictures and HOME experiences at you all!

 

Port Townsend with a turning tree. I currently have work in two shows here. A sweet Victorian Touristy town, 50 miles from my house. The downtowns on the Peninsula have planted maples that do turn bright red, in spite of mostly evergreens in the natural forest in these parts.

Deer on a hillside at Hurricane Ridge. I enjoyed the Olympic National Park with Hugh and Connie in September and made that experience into a wall piece currently hanging at the Port Angeles Public Library in a show celebrating the 50th anniversary of Olympic National Park...this is 19 miles from my house.

 

The daylight is shorter, I'm starting to get back into my pre-trip yoga shape, The kitchen counter is crowded with works in progress. I finished one more portrait and started another...I won't be a Famous or hugely successful painter or writer, but I can't stop making stuff, writing every day. It took me a good while to get over feeling guilty about not having to get up in the dark and go to work, and to believe that there will be enough money to support my modest life style. Thanks to my good friend, David Carris, for setting up my finances and talking me through lots of panic attacks, and to my mother for raising me as a frugal person...(went a bit overboard, but I'm finding a balance with help from my friends). 

There are highways and rivers and railroads running along side each other all over this wide country. Beautiful things to see, and maybe we always love elements of the landscapes we grew up with the best. There is something precious beyond words about old friends...and there are friends growing into old friends everywhere we choose to settle. I choose here.